Conveyer.



-PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

W. K. L-IGGETT.

ETESTAVAILABLE OONVEYER.

r a -4 'APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 29, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

witwaoca v A SHEET 2.

' harezzfm.

m M' abifowm 3 SHBETS PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

OONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 29, 1905.

W. K. LIGGETT.

No. 896,776. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

' W. K. LIGGETT'.

OONVEYER.

APPLIGATIONEILED NOV. 29, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' compas's andacarried from one point to an- UNI D s'ri rns earn 1' oririoil.

WILLIAM K. LIGGETT, or COLUMBUS, onto, Assre'noa, BY MESNE AssIiiNMENTs, TO THE a citizei of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new, and

conveyors, particularly conveyors of the JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A

CORPORATION or OHIO.

CQNVEYEB.

To all who'm it may Concern:

Belt known that I, WILLIAM'K. LIGGETT,

useful Improvementsin Conveyers, of which the following is a specification, reference be ing.

ThIS invention relates to improvements in ing had thereinto the'aceompanying draw- I class'us'ed forloading ears.

The object' of the nvention is to provide a sup ort for'the eonveyer element proper suci thatit can be readily put into small other, and ean asieadily be elongated oreX-- tendedin' any desired-direction so that it can be utilized fordeliveringinaterialat either veyer element rope'r side elevation, the

of several points.

a mechanism embodying my improvements. Fig. 21s a verticalsectiolion the line 22 of section being ta- :en on the line 3 3 of Fi n 1-,

and the elevator being extended to the-right.

- Fig. 4 is a planview of the shafting and gearling by which the elongatingv and shortening of the conveyor element s accomplished.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspeetivview showing the,

supporting rollers for the out oing run of the eonveyer. Fig. 6 is a vertioa section, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig, 2. .1 V y In the drawings I have shown the convey ing apparatus as arranged'forthe loading of boxears with coal or other material; but it will be understood that many of. the novel features characteristic of' the invention may be employed in conveyer mechanisms of other sorts.

A car of the sort referred to is indicated by The conveying apparatus can In thedrawings Figure l is a plan'view of coal, to be loaded into the car can be introarranged in Stllfifllltl parallel to each other.

dueed through the opposite door.

A't'the side of the railway track system tltei' eis erected a platform or scall'olding of suitable .sort as indicated at l.

I with ahand' crank 5);

v specification ofLetters-Piatent. A Patented Aug; 11, 1908. Application fi led November 29,.1995. wser'i'ai noiasas ai.

the floor of the platform 'or may .be carried andguided by tracks. Preferably I employ .fiat-rin imed wheels 2 at the front end and gear wheels 6, 7 (the former seeured rigidlyto the axle 4 and the latter being; provided By having the front wheels 2 with flat- Or' unlianged peripheries the conveyer'structurecan be readily moved along upon the surfaceff-of the oar/floor, and

by having the rear-wheels-fi' flanged and fitted to a track means are provided for holding the movable stru'cture fro n displace ment when it lS jYlbhdIfiXVIllIOlIl the ear.

The frame of this structure comprises-a bar or plate. 1, which ex'tendsfroin 'the' forwaru Wheels 2 to those at 3 at therear', cross girths of a suitable number, asat' l u' per sills 1", uprights 1,' and top'leonneoted ar or plate l i The-framework is also extended beyond the parts mentioned, there being elevated lon itudlnal bars 2?, 11 1Cl1n6(l'b1fl0e bars 2 ant one or more cross bars 2.

Upon the framework above described, or

oneof suitable sort. substantially similar thereto, are supported the'operative parts of the inechanism. The "principal element of tlns is an endless belt held by devices of such nature that they can be either arrai'iged as a coinpactholder for the belt or can be extendedin such way as to serve as an elongated frame. In order to attain the ends aimed at,

. I prefer to combine with the endless belt part a mechanism of the lazy tongs class. "In order to have the conveyor clement adapted tobe extended in either of two directions i ernpli'iy two systems ot hr may tongs bars,'one being opposite to the l or and so relate them that the belt can he supported in part upon one system of bars and in part upon the other, and all so wished that as the eonveyer ma be eiongated in one direction or the otl'ier at will, and in a manner such that there shall he maintained along the 4 entireapron or belta uniform tension. To accomplish these and other ends thefollowing parts'oan housed: C, C, C" are bars it), 1), D Di, are similar bars arranged and i serving as companions, respefliively;to those pivoted to the main ir iCl sine, fo instance, by J ,0

- 1d 'lowercnds vertically adjustable in any suitable way, preferably by attaching them to toms of lazy tongs bars.

'sion.

vertically sliding blocks, as will be more fully described. There are two series of bars C,

C, C C and two series of the bars D, D, D

1), one series of each being arranged in vertical planes at the rear side of the conveyer, and the other series being similarly arranged at the front side. 10, .10, 10' are belt rollcrs, each mounted at each end in the upper ends of two of the bars above described.

12, 12, 12 are belt rollers, each similarly mounted in the lower ends of two of the bars.

1] is a belt roller at the upper end ofthe outermost bars D As above noted, I prefer to have two sys- The essential fea tures of one of them have been described and the other isconstructed and has its parts correlated in substantially the way set forth. The upper end of the innermost bar C of this second system is pivoted at 13 to the main frame and the lower end of its companion bar D is pivotally connected to a vertically adjustable carrier. One way for effecting the vertical movements of the lower ends of the innermost bars of these systems is illustrated.

'14 is a nut fitted to and traveling in a way-(-- in a guide 15 secured to the vertical part of the frame work. In each of the guides 15 there is mounted a screw shaft 16, or 17. Upon each shaft there is a nut 14 which as the shaft rotates can be moved upward or downward as desired.

18 indicates the endless belt or apron-arranged to be supported upon and to travel. around the rollers of the systems above described. At the center it rests upon, and engages with, a driving pulley 21-. On each side of the latter it extends downward a suit able distance and travels around rollers 19, which can be utilized to take up the slack in the belt and also utilized to regulate its ten- These rollers 19 are supported in suitable standards which are carried by a cross bar 20 which .is made suliiciently heavy. it hangs freely from the rollers 19, 19 and they 1 in turn are suspended freely in the bends of pulley- 29 on a countershaft 27.

the belt. Power is applied to the belt by the motor 22 mounted suitably on. the rear part of the frame. Its armature pinion 23 engages with a master wheel 24: on the main line shaft 25, to which is secured the belt driving roller 21. From this shaft 25 power is taken for adjusting the belt supporting bars.

2 6 is a pulley on the shaft with which engages a belt 28 that in turn engages with a This shaft 27 hasateach end a wide pulley 3G, lev having fittedto it a straight belt the shaft 35 is stationary.

and respectively engage with loose pulleys 32'" and 31, between which there is a pulley 32 keyed to a shaft. One pair of belts 31, 32 is connected to the shaft 35 and the other pair to the shaft 36. belt shifters it will be seen that the shaft 35 can be turned first in one direction and then in the other by first connecting the belt 31 to the pulley 32 and then disengaging that belt and connecting the belt 32. wheels are disconnected from the wheel 32 And in, similar way the shaft 36 may be rotated in onedirection or the other. Each oftthese shafts 35, 36 is rovided with worms 34, one at each end of the shaft. Worms 34 on shaft 35 engage with worm wheels 34, one secured to the up er end of the rear screw shaftq16 and the otfier secured to the upper end of the front screw shaft. The worms 34 on the shaft 36 are similarly geared by worm wheels 35 to the screw shafts 17.

It will now be seen thatthe operator can at any time bypro er shifting of the belts cause either; pair 0 screw shafts to rotate. When they are rotated in one direction the nuts 14 are 'dra W11 upward toward the hinges 13 and in consequence thebars of the lazy tongs system are caused to "approach horizontalism and the belt su port 13 elongated; and, vice versa, if the be ts'be reversed and the screw shaft 16 turned in the opposite direction thenuts' 14 will travel downward and the bars of the belt-carrying system will be caused to approach vertical osition and the belt sup ortmg system will e shortened.

In ort er to bring both of the bar systems into as small a compass astpossible the nuts 14 can all be lowered to their utmost limit and then all of the bars C, C, C C and D, D, D D of the left hand system will be drawn close together, as will also all of the bars of the right hand system. When they are in this most compact relationship the dimension of this part of the apparatus measured on the longitudinal lines of the car is .less than the cross dimension of the car door,

and consequently the portable frame and both halves of the belt supporting mechanism can be passed into or drawn out from the car without striking the edges of the doorway. I

In order to properly sup ort the upper or olperative length of the be t use'is made of t e rollers 49 interposed between the rollers 10 and the said upper part of the belt. These rollers 49 are sup orted from the journal parts or shafts at t 1e upper endsof the lazy tongs bars, there being crank arms 50 employed for this pur v ose. These crank arms 50 are rigidly attac 1ed to one of the two sets of cross rods pivoted at 8, referably the set indicated by the letters D etc. The

By means-of suitable When both angle between each crank arm and the cross etc. These rollers 19 oscillate through an angle equal to' the change in angular position relative to .the vertical of the rod to which they are attached, each half of the angle of oscillation lying upon one side of the vertical.

It is thus evident that the crank arms 50 maintain a fairly constant angle relative to the truss system irrespective of whether the system of bars is in its extended or contracted position of adjustment.

The rollers 1010 etc, and 12 12-'* etc., are so mounted u on the bars of the lazy tongs system that t e total length of the path of the endless belt conveyer, about each extensible frame, is constant in all the positions of adjustment of the latter, irrespective of the position of adjustment of the o iposite extensible frame. In the drawings, have shown one method of accomplishing this, the rollers being mounted upon the end pivot axes of the cross rod C'C etc., and D.-D etc. The distance from one of the pulleys 12 to the next pulley 10 beyond it is constant, while the distance between one of the pulleys 12 and the nearest pulley 10' above it decreases as the truss system, as a whole, is projected longitudinally outward. This latter variation in the distance from roller to roller quite closely ap roximates the variation in the length of t 1e belt from the main frame to'the roller 11, in the various positions of adjustment of the truss system.

When the eonveyer (constructed, mounted ,and actuated in the way described) is used for the loading of cars I so arrange the parts of the belt support that there shall be between the ends a depression at the region where the coal or other material is deposited upon it. The pivot points 13 and the lines of travel of the nuts 14 are so selected that the outer end or delivery part of the belt or apron will be elevated in relation to the central part.

I have shown a mechanism for delivering coal to the central part of the belt and it consists of a reciprocating box or ho per having the vertical sides 37, the rear wall 3 the bottom of the hopper car by connecting rod 4 pivotally secured at 45. '48 is a Stationary chute so placed as to deliver material either in a stream or in charges to the hopper Sand the bottom 39. It is mounted upon truck car 37, the chute being shown stationary and situated outside of the car;

The mode of using a mechanism of the-sort described and the manner in whichit operates will be readily understood from 'the drawings and the description above given."

If, for instance, it be desired to load'a car with coal, it is first brought into proper position relative to the side structure or platfrom 1, that is, brought so that the doorways at B, B shall be in alinement with the portable structure. The latter is then, by the crank and gear or other suitable mechanism, caused to advance through the car door and across its floor to the position shown in Fig. 2. At

this time the two truss systems are in their innermost folded positions and readily ass through the car door. If it be desire to firstload the right hand end of the car, the properbelt-throwing device is utilized and the shafts 17 caused to so rotate that their nuts 14 will be drawn up so as to" cause the. lazy tongs bars or truss system at the ri ht to be elongated. If now coal be deliveref from chute 48 to the car hopper the latter will, because of its reciprocating movements, cause the delivery of the coal in a stream or uniform charges to the central part of the belt. The latter taking it up carries it to the end and delivers it near the end of the car. After that end of the car has been loaded to the extent desired themotor is reversed and the proper clutches or belt-throwing devices are rought into action and the nuts 14 at the left hand side of the machine are moved upward along their shafts 17, this resulting in an elongation of the left hand truss system. After left-hand system has been put into requisite position the coal will be carried toward the left until the left hand end of the car is filled. After both ends have received their-supplies ofcoal and the truss systems have been again put into their compacted positions the loader can'be withdrawn from the car and the central region of the car can be loaded by direct delivery from the chute 48,- or by an extension thereof, as is ordinarily done in the loading of box cars.

hat I claim is 1 In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a supporting frame, an endless carrying apron or belt, an extensible frame therefor ad 'ustably connected to'the main frame and a apted to be lengthened or shortened to carry a longer or shorter operative portion of the belt and means for holding the extensible frame ina horizontally projected position.

extensible frame for taking upv the surplus portion of the belt when the extensible :frame 1s shortened and means for holding belt, the extensible frame arranged to be able to points at different distances thereadjusting the said system, substantially as .set forth..

, tion of the main frame, the endless carrier or oelt, the belt-holding frame comprising a the extensible frame in a horizontally protaine by the first aforesaid extensible frame,

- from, means supplementa power to the end of the said system of bars substantially as set forth.

' the automatic tension device adapted to mamtam the engagement of the belt with the two of said bars adjustable relatively to each frame, substantially jccted position, substantially as set forth 3. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame, the carrier apronor belt, the extensible frame therefor adjustably secured to the main frame, and a second extensible main frame adapted to support that ortion of the belt or carrier not sussubstantially as set forth.

4. In a conveymg apparatus, the combination of the mam frame, the endless carrier or projected outward from the. main framc, the carrier or belt supported at one end upon the main frame, and having lts other end ad ustfrom, means supplemental to the extensible frame for supporting that part of the belt not carried by the said extensible frameand means for holding the extensible frame in an outwardly projected position, substantially as set forth. I

5. In a conveying. apparatus the combination of the main frame, the endless carrier or belt, a frame composed of barsof the lazy tongs class for carrying the belt, one end of the said system being supported upon the main frame and the other end being adjustable to points of differin distances there- I to said supporting system for carrying more or less of the length of the belt and means for applying that is connected with the main frame for 6. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame, the endless carrier or belt, the longitudinally extensible frame for holding the carrier connected to the main frame, the automatic tension device for the belt and means for holding the extensible frame in a horizontally projected position,

7. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame, the endless carrier or belt, the longitudinally extensible, frame for the carrier or belt, the stationary driving pulley on the main frame for the belt, and

driving pulley, substantially as set forth.

'8. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with the main frame, of the endless car rier or belt, the belt-holding frame composed" of a lazy-tongs system of bars, said system being longitudinallv extensible and having bther and positive y connected to the main as set forth.

9. In a conveying apparatus, the combinalazy main frame, and which system can be lengthened or shortened, an upper SBlITOf belt supports on the said system for that art of the and means for driving the sald belt, substan- ,tially as set forth. 10. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the mam frame, the endless carrier or belt, the belt-holding frame comprising a lazy tongs system or bars, two of which are adjustable to each other and wlnch are supported on the main frame, a series ofbelt I supports on said system for that part of the be t moving in one direction, and two series of belt supports on said system for carrying that part of the belt which is moving in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth. 11. In a conveying apparatus the combination of the main frame, the endless carrier or belt, the longitudinally extensible outwardly projecting belt-supporting frame supported on the mam frame, the engine or motor, power-transm1tt1ng devices for driving the belt, poweptransmitting devices,

driven by the engine or motor for lengthening or shortening the extensible frame and means for holding the said extensible frame in a horizontally projected position, substantially as set forth. 7

12. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame,'the endless carrier or belt, the horizontally extensible belt-holding frame supported on the main frame, the engine or motor, the belt-drlvmg device actuated from the engine, means for lengthening or shortening the belt-holding frame adapted to be actuated from the engine, and the reversing mechanism for the said means, substantially as set forth.

13. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the mam frame, the endless carrieror belt, the longitudinally extensible beltholding frame supported on the main frame, the engine or motor, the power-transmitting devices for actuating the belt, the powertransmitting devices for lengthening or ening the belt-holding frame, and the auto matically acting tension devices for thebel independent of the power transmitting: de-

vices, substantially as set forth.

14. In a conveying apparatus,- the combination of the main frame, the endlesst arrier or belt the belt-holding frame comprising a lazytongs system of bars, which system is horizontally extensible, and is supportetb from the main frame, the adjustahlecarrier on the main frame for one ofthesai'dbars,

the engine or motor, and means driven'by the engine or motor for moving the said carrier to one posltion or another to extend or shorten. the belt-supporting frame, substan v ,ti'ally as set forth. tongs system of barssupported from the 15. Ina conveying. apparatusfth e combipair, vthe inner ends of the inner pair of bars natiori'of the main frame, the endless carrier or belt, a beltfsufpp'orting frame comprising a ars, the bars of each pair ate of their ends, and having their ends pivoted to the ends of the bars of the adjacent J being supported upon the mainframe, and

adjustab e toward andfrom each other, substantially as setforth. 1 e

16.;In a conveying apparatus, the combior belt, the belt-supporting frame comprising a lazy tongs system of bars'at one side-of the belt, a supplemental system of lazy tongs bars at the other side of the belt, beltsup ports extending fromone of said systems to the other, and both systems being respec-.

tively V adjustably connected to the main frame, substantially as set forth. 1

17. In a conveying apparatus, the combination 'of the mainframe,- the endless carrier or belt} a longitudinally extensible belt-holding frame extended in one direction-fromflthe.

main frame, and anindependent longitudi nally extensible belt-holding frame extending in the -other-direction from the main frame, substantially as set forth.

18. In a conveying apparatus, the cornbi nation of the main frame, alongitudinally extensible belt-supportingframe sup orted on the main frame and adapted to; e extended in one direction therefrom, a second longitudinally extensible belt-holding frame partly upon one and partly upon the other of the said belt-holding frames, and. means for lengthening the said frames, substantially as set forth.

19. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame, an endless carrier or belt, a longitudinally extensible belt-holding frame adaptedto be extended in one direction from the main frame and to support;

one portion of the said belt or carrier, and a second longitudinally extenslble frame adapted to be extended in the other direction from the frame and to support the other part of the belt, and a driving device on the main frame for driving both parts of the-belt. 20. In a conveying apparatus the combii nation of the main frame, the longitudinally extensible belt-holding frame adapted to'bef extended in one direction from the main frame, and a second longitudinally extensible belt-holding frame adapted to 'be'extended from the main frame in the opposite direc tion, andan endless carrier or'belt supported upon one-and lpartly upon the other of said frames, in sue a manner that each ,gof the frames can be adjusted to'any one of its several positions independently of the other.

21'. In a conveying apparatus the con1bicomprising. a laz ton system being a fiipte nation of the mam frame, the endless carrier :s

or belt and two oppositely extensible belt holding frames supported on the main frame,

bothi adapted to 'support-the belt or carrier,

substantially as set forth, L In a conveying apparatus, the combinationof the main frame, the endless belt or carrier, and two oppositely and longitudinally. extensible be t; holding frames, each system of bars, each to beleng'thened or ortened independently of the-other, substantiallyras set forth; v 23. In a'conveying apparatus, the combination of the mainframe, the endless belt or carrier, the two oppositel arranged. and o positely and longitudina-y extensible bdlt olding frames, each being provided with a seriesof belt supports for the outward moving or operative part of the, belt, and each being provided with two sseriesof belt supports forthe inward moving orreturning. r

part of the belt', s,ubs.tantially asset forth. 24 In a conveying apparatus, thecombi- 1 nation 'ofthe main, frame, the longitudinally extensible belt holding frame comprising a lazy tong syste'rnofbars 01' supports onthe main frame, a series of projections extending upward from the lazy tong system of bars, and an endless carrier .or 'apron having its outwardly rnov-ing parts supported onthe A said upward extensions, and an inwardly moving part supported on the lazy ton sys- V tem of bars, proper, substantially as set orth."

25.- In a conveying apparatus-,ithe combination of the mainframe, the longitudinally extensible belt holding frame-comprising a upwardly from the lazy't'ong-system of bars, each of said projections being adaptedto system of lazytong bars supportedi'on'themain frame,'aser1es of projections extend ng maintain its position above ,,the lazy tongs systenuof bars'in eachof all of the positions of the system of bars, and the endless apron having thepart' traveling in one direction supported upon thesaidf rojections and the part ,travelin in th'e""ot set forth.- l v v 26, In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame, the longitudinally extensible-belt holding frame, com rising twp 'barspivoted to each other and aving er direction supported by the laz y tong bars, substantially as belt support extendin upward from t e said bar's, supplemental be t supports on the said bars, and anendless carrier or belt assing in oneclirection over the said upward y extending belt supports and traveling in the opposite direction over the said supplemental .belt sup ort or supports, substantially as set fort 1, r

27. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame, the belt holding iso ' frame having two bars pivoted together, the pivot devices connecting one of said bars to the mainframe and the vertically adjustable pivoting devices connecting the other bar with the main frame, the belt supports car ried by the said bars and the end ess belt or carrier traveling around the' said belt sup- 4 ports, substantially as setforth.

28. In 'a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame, the endless carrier adapted to be extended in either or both of two opposite directions in relation to the'main frame, the power devices, and the feeding mechanism actuated by theower devices for feeding material to the carrier or apron, substantially as set forth.

29. In a conveying apparatus, the combination ofthe main frame, the means for carrying material first in one direction relative to the main frame, and then in the'opposite direction, the power devices, and the feeding mechanism supported on themain frame-and adapted to be actuated by the power devices to deliver material to the carrying means, substantially as set forth.

30. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the means for carr ing the material first in one direction re atively to the extending outward therefrom in opposite directions and arranged to deliver material w from either of its opposite ends, a movable feeder mounted on the main frame and ar.

ranged to deliver to the endless carrier intermediate its ends, and power devices on the main frame for driving both the feeder and the endless carrier, substantially as set forth.

32. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a supporting frame, an endless carrying belt, an extensible frametherefor, and means for extending the said belt-carrying frame laterally relative to the su porting frame in a plane approximating the orizontal, substantially as set forth.

33. In a conveying apparatus,'the combination ofa main supporting frame, an end less carrying-belt, a frame in which the belt is mounted, and means for projecting the said belt-carrying frame laterally relative to the main frame and for maintaining the carr 'ng portion of the belt in approximately t e same plane relativeto the horizontal in its different positions-of adjustment, substantially as set forth.

34. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of a main supporting frame, an endless carrying belt, an extensible frame in .Which the belt is mounted, means for projectirig the said belt-carrying frame laterally and for maintaining th carrying portion of the belt in approximately the'same plane relative to the horizontal in the different po-. sitions of adjustment, and means for main means upon said extensible frame for maintaining the length of belt carried thereby substantially constant; substantially as set.

forth.

36. In a conveying apparatus, the combiless carrying belt, an extensible frame havnation of a main supporting frame, an endas ing mounted thereon guiding devices for said belt, said guiding devices being arranged to maintain the path of'travel of the belt constant in length for all positions of aid-,-

justment of the extensible frame, substantially as set-forth. 1

37. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of the main frame, the endless belt or carrier, the extensible beltholding frame of;

the lazy tongs type provided with a series of.

belt supports for the outwardly moving part of the belt, and. provided with two series of belt supports for the inward moving or re: turning part of the belt, the latter being so arranged u on the lazy tong rods as to approach eac .other, with consequent shortening of the turn path of the belt as the frame, as a whole, is extended outward, and vice versa, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIM/I K. LIGGETT.

Witnesses: v

F. R. IIVILLSON, Jr., J. Wmssraa. 

